This invention relates to the growing of tuber-propagated and/or seedling plants in a composite container whereby the plants may be economically and safely shipped in a small net pot from a given nursery to a distribution outlet location, quickly and conveniently repotted and grown for an indefinite time, in new composite containers. The invention is directed to the processes of growing decorative plants which are usually propagated in beds, by hydroponics, or in flower pots as distinguished from vegetable crop plants. Plants so propagated may be transported for varying distances to wholesale or retail outlets where they would be repackaged into decorative containers containing a composite nutrient soil and then sold to the retail trade. In this instance the net pot containing the seedling is shipped independently of the soil block and associated container in which the net pot is deposited.
Botanical garden plants are initially grown from seed to seedling in a nutrient soil medium in a small pot, usually plastic or some other inexpensive material. Upon reaching threshold growth stage, the plant pots, containing the young plants and soil medium are shipped by air, rail or truck to wholesale or retail distributors. Alternatively, the small plants are repotted by the nursery into decorator pots and then forwarded to the wholesaler. The wholesaler distributes either the small pots or decorator pots to the retailer where they are displayed on shelves for purchase by the general public.
Usually plants offered at retail are not forwarded in decorator pots, the reason being that when shipped from a nursery they are apt to arrive dirty and in poor condition, requiring extensive cleaning, mending and replacement before the pot plant unit is ready for sale. The cost of otherwise shipping and protecting the decorator pot, filled with soil, will be significantly greater than shipping a small plant pot. Repotting, of course, creates shock to the young plant, often resulting in substantial plant loss and inconvenience. The wholesaler is thus reluctant to repot the plant because of the processing cost of removing and throwing out the original growth pot, the time consuming hand work, messiness of repotting the plant in soil and the cost of purchasing a decorator pot. By the same token, plant growth pots which are also found on retail shelves although functional, are unattractive to the ordinary purchaser. As a result of customary practices, the customer is forced to buy an additional decorator pot in which to hide the growth pot.
Inventors in the art have attempted to solve at least some of these problems. Nelson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,355 attempts to solve the mess and discoloration problem caused by the use of soil by substituting a synthetic material for the soil. Various distinct types of growth pots have been created as exemplified by the patents to Chadwick, U.S. Pat. No. 115,162; Adams et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,609; Gruber, U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,021; Carlisle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,846; Southard, U.S. Pat. No. 1,200,396; and Kleb, U.S. Pat. No. 1,428,829. Known art also includes the following: Amar et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,884; Anagnostou U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,284; Melvoid U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,607; Arca U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,088; Jacobson U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,784, each distinguishable as will hereinafter appear.
In shipping growth pots from the nursery, the cost of shipping the growth pot is actually non-recoverable as the pot is usually later thrown out when the plant is repotted by the ultimate purchaser. The cost of shipping a decorator pot filled with nutrient soil could be saved if the pot and growing medium were supplied by the wholesaler. The present invention thus utilizes a light weight cone shaped net pot in which the young seedling is grown, transported and transplanted. The growth medium in the net pot may contain soil or a soiless medium, adapted to provide all the nutrients necessary for a young growing plant.
The soil substitute consists of a synthetic material containing such nutrient as may be necessary to sustain plant life for a period of up to twelve months. The use of synthetic material forming a substratum, hereinafter defined, is indispensable. Thus the more complex preparatory steps of the art are eliminated herein, whereby only the simplest maintenance, such as the addition of water is required to sustain effective growth of the botanicals.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a growth container which may be easily utilized by a wholesaler distributor in a botanical replanting process.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an economical shipping container for young botanical plants.
It is another object of this invention to provide a simple potting system whereby the botanical growth pot may be most efficiently and economically repotted into a decorator pot.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple potting system such that plant watering will be necessary at intervals of 30 days only.